#2: Eyes in the Back of Your Head: Observing Student Actions
From a seat in the rear of the room, observe your students and take notes on what they are doing while the teacher is presenting in the front of the room, while they are supposed to be doing seatwork, and/or when they are working in the lab. Look closely at each student for a range of behaviors, and resist the temptation on only see what you expect. Note especially what is happening furthest from the teacher. What strategies are used by your teacher to encourage students to attend and engage?
How important is student engagement to you view of how you will teach? What strategies will you employ to encourage student engagement?
Observations:
Having sat in the back of the class, I definitely got a different perspective! I saw students discussing their latest cheerleading event of the afternoon, and also discussing a different method of garbage disposal (with the class pet millipede’s detritus eating habits). I watched certain students take avid notes, while others took only a few notes here and there. One of the classes he took outside to discuss plant pigments and photosynthesis. This was fascinating to watch from this outside standpoint, since the students were supposed to be taking notes on what he was saying, and only one or two students actually took out their pens. All of the boys, in this one class, did not even bring their notebooks outside, even though they were asked; I was not sure if this was their normal behavior or if it was a form of peer pressure- “I’m not bringing my notebook, that’s lame”, or something of similar mindset. During one of his lectures in another class, a kid spoke out and said some very rude things to a girl sitting next to him. The girl was astonished, and Mr.J did not hesitate to loudly call him up, and bring him outside the class for a moment. I do not know what he said to the boy, but I do not think it was encouraging!
Reflections:
Throughout, I found that engagement is critical to maintaining good student behavior. If left bored, they will find things to entertain themselves, like misbehavior and talking! There was however, a few things I found that I would like to implement someday within a classroom. One thing was that when he was lecturing, he walked around the classroom. In this way, I could maintain some kind of focus (“oh my gosh the teacher’s coming!”) if I ever desired to lecture. I also saw that a straight lecture caused the most behavior problems from the class, which of course is understandable, I myself had difficulty focusing on lectures for as long as I can remember; which is why I take notes! Knowing this could help me put into practice less lectures and more engaging activities and group work. I also noted that the students were not particularly “stupid” on any level, it was simply an attention level that varied within the spectrum of classmates.
Class Topic: Biology
Grade: Grade 10
Observed by: Lauren Paetznick
#2: Eyes in the Back of Your Head: Observing Student Actions
From a seat in the rear of the room, observe your students and take notes on what they are doing while the teacher is presenting in the front of the room, while they are supposed to be doing seatwork, and/or when they are working in the lab. Look closely at each student for a range of behaviors, and resist the temptation on only see what you expect. Note especially what is happening furthest from the teacher. What strategies are used by your teacher to encourage students to attend and engage?How important is student engagement to you view of how you will teach? What strategies will you employ to encourage student engagement?
Observations:
Having sat in the back of the class, I definitely got a different perspective! I saw students discussing their latest cheerleading event of the afternoon, and also discussing a different method of garbage disposal (with the class pet millipede’s detritus eating habits). I watched certain students take avid notes, while others took only a few notes here and there. One of the classes he took outside to discuss plant pigments and photosynthesis. This was fascinating to watch from this outside standpoint, since the students were supposed to be taking notes on what he was saying, and only one or two students actually took out their pens. All of the boys, in this one class, did not even bring their notebooks outside, even though they were asked; I was not sure if this was their normal behavior or if it was a form of peer pressure- “I’m not bringing my notebook, that’s lame”, or something of similar mindset. During one of his lectures in another class, a kid spoke out and said some very rude things to a girl sitting next to him. The girl was astonished, and Mr.J did not hesitate to loudly call him up, and bring him outside the class for a moment. I do not know what he said to the boy, but I do not think it was encouraging!
Reflections:
Throughout, I found that engagement is critical to maintaining good student behavior. If left bored, they will find things to entertain themselves, like misbehavior and talking! There was however, a few things I found that I would like to implement someday within a classroom. One thing was that when he was lecturing, he walked around the classroom. In this way, I could maintain some kind of focus (“oh my gosh the teacher’s coming!”) if I ever desired to lecture. I also saw that a straight lecture caused the most behavior problems from the class, which of course is understandable, I myself had difficulty focusing on lectures for as long as I can remember; which is why I take notes! Knowing this could help me put into practice less lectures and more engaging activities and group work. I also noted that the students were not particularly “stupid” on any level, it was simply an attention level that varied within the spectrum of classmates.
Class Topic: Biology
Grade: Grade 10
Observed by: Lauren Paetznick